Glossary

U.S. space and defense market terms

Plain-English definitions of the U.S. procurement, compliance and budget terms allied space and defense companies meet, each with primary sources.

• Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC)

  The DoD program that checks whether contractors and subcontractors, U.S. or not, protect FCI and CUI. Phased into contracts from November 10, 2025.

• Planning, Programming, Budgeting and Execution (PPBE)

  The DoD's annual process for turning strategy into a five-year funding plan and budget request, which sets when a startup's technology can be bought.

• Trade Agreements Act (TAA)

  The 1979 law that limits covered U.S. government purchases to U.S.-made or designated country products, with a $174,000 threshold for supplies.